Calling all moms of preschoolers…I have a question.
Does your three, soon-to-be four year old have the gift of gab?
Because mine does. Boy does he.
Strange, considering he didn’t utter a single word until well past his 2nd birthday. For real. We did speech therapy and everything. But silent he remained.
That is, until one day when the talkative side of him decided to show up.
And now? Now he talks. Nonstop.
He talks to the UPS man. Talks so much that the UPS man stopped ringing the bell and now just leaves the packages at the door.
He talks to his swim instructor. When he’s supposed to be blowing his bubbles and using his big splashy kickers.
He talks to the restaurant servers. So much that I feel obligated to pad the tip based on the extra time he/she spends at our table listening to the little man’s ramblings.
He talks to grocery store cashiers and baggers. He talks to the neighbors as we take our morning walks. He’ll talk to anybody who’ll listen. He would gladly talk to the various fundraisers that are always calling our house, but I don’t let him. Maybe I should.
These are his favorite things to say:
Guess how old I am.
We’re from Ar-i-zona.
Guess when my birthday is.
I used to be one. And then I turned two. And then I turned three.
In August I’m going to turn four. After that I’ll turn five.
But, for the most part, he reserves those things for the strangers he meets.
He saves the best for me.
All day, every day. These are his favorites:
Why?
What? I didn’t hear-ed you.
Why?
Watch this.
Why?
Was that funny?
Why?
What are we going to do tomorrow?
Why?
I’m the one who insisted on speech therapy. I’m the one who narrated my every move to him before he had words of his own. I’m the one who took all those speech therapy tips and put them into practice.
I think I’ve created a monster.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally feel what you are saying. Max had a severe speech delay and I did all the things you listed above…then one day it clicked and he hasn’t stopped since. I have to catch myself sometimes telling him to shush as I waited so desperately to hear those first few words, then sentences, then actual conversations. So, I hear ya…loud and clear!
Yes! My now 5 year old does not stop talking or asking questions from the moment he awakes…unless he’s watching Tom & Jerry then he laughs and provides commentary.
Hahahahahaha. Yup, know exactly of what you are talking about. I have a four year old who does this, all day long. My silent six year old takes any moment the four year old leaves me alone to fill my “peaceful” moments up. This totally made me giggle today.
Coming from the speech therapist: You have successfully created a well-spoken, articulate three year old.
Coming from the Mom: I KNOW!!! We have the same problem! How do we get them to stop talking??
Ohh I love the questions age……He just asks you all those things because he knows you are the most smartest beautiful amazing person in his life! :)
My son never started talking until he was three – he is now soon to be 29 and he still hasn’t SHUT UP!!! He writes songs so that makes it worse because it is “Hip Hop” and that makes him talk so fast that I can’t understand him. Becca, I think he needs a therapist. “Speech” Therapist. lol And Darcie, your beautiful talkative little boy, you wouldn’t have it any other way. :-)
Yes, NONSTOP. His favorite thing to do is ask why, but also, to just narrate every detail of our days. Sometimes I try to escape and find silence!
Haha YES Alex will be 4 in October and he’s a talker too, although he still has some speech issues. BOTH of my children talk non-stop.
Oh, Gray is this- but he’s 4.5, it gets worse! (or better!) Often he’ll start talking to ANYONE and I just shoot them a look like, sorry, and thank you for indulging him! :)
Steph
be careful what you wish for…is it something about being in your 2nd half of life that brings up all these old sayings..anyway I can hardly wait to see him
Oh, this post hit close to home. My 28-week preemie was involved in Early Intervention and he was delayed with everything until at least the age of 2. I remember telling a therapist that I was worried that he wasn’t talking. I don’t remember when his gift of gab turned on but it hasn’t stopped. He’s now 10 and honestly never shuts up. I love that he likes to talk about anything and everything but sometimes I do wish for some peace and quiet. I also like that he is so social with kids and adults. But still, I’ve cringed more than once from not only the sound of his voice but from what he feels he can freely discuss with anyone. LOL! Enjoy your little man’s chatter!!
I have a very cute picture of your motor mouth, my husband, and a goat (yes, a goat) at our last church picnic to validate this point. They were in deep conversation about the goat and his eyes and probably politics or something. He sat on Hubby’s lap like he’s know him all his 4 years. Its precious. I’ll send it to you. ;)